


The Rose Prince and the Grumpy Dwarf

by paradoxicallysimplistic



Series: OTP (smutty) Fairytales and other works... [3]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Fluff and Smut, Hot Springs & Onsen, M/M, Royalty, Wet Dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-05-29 13:09:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6376036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paradoxicallysimplistic/pseuds/paradoxicallysimplistic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the kingdom of Rose, a small boy was born to the king and queen. The the queen died soon after and his father soon took a new wife. All was well until right before his 16th birthday he finds himself almost raped and killed by the his stepmother's retainers. After waking up he finds himself in the home of and ends up living with his dark-haired and rather short rescuer, Levi.</p><p>And somehow... somewhere along the line, Eren finds himself falling for the man.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In case anyone's wondering, this is a **Snow White & the 7 Dwaves** (or 1 dwarf) adaptation. Eren is well... not really snow white, and Levi is his short, grumpy self as per usual. It'll probably take a a few chapters before things get heated, but it's coming! ;)
> 
> I apologize if the writing style changes over time or is different from my previous works, since the first half or so was written _before_ most of what I previously posted, but I just didn't get around to polishing it up until I got serious about posting it.

_Once upon a time, long, long ago, in the faraway Rose kingdom, there was a queen who pricked her finger on a rose thorn one winter’s eve. Looking beyond at the night sky and crimson that now dotted the pure, snowy ground, she sighed. Oh how she wished her child would be born with ebony black hair, rose red lips, and skin as pale as snow. But more importantly, rubbing her stomach, the queen knew she had a frail body that would not last over long after birth, and so she wished her child would grow up healthy, gracious, and loved._

_**Erin** … she thought absently, or **Eren** if it were a boy._

_Her child did grow up to be strong of limb and sound of mind. The child did not, however, have a complexion of fresh fallen snow, lip as red as blood, or hair as black as ebony. The rose prince as he was lovingly called by his people was, instead, lightly tanned, had mesmerizing sea-green eyes, and a mop of messy brown hair. His mother had long since passed away and he lived with his father, the king, and his stepmother, the new queen of Rose._

_His stepmother was a renowned beauty with her blue eyes, golden hair, and red lips. Though not related to him by blood, the prince loved his stepmother as a real mother, picking her wildflowers every time he was out. And she loved him, as a mother would her child._

_All was perfect… until the child turned fourteen. That day, his stepmother began noticing how much the prince was beloved among members of the court. He had grown into a vivacious, gracious, lively teen. Fit for ruling, she hastily realized. If something were to happen to the king, she would be powerless and he would be king._

_It didn’t help that other kingdoms had already send emissaries with portraits of eligible princesses to wed the young prince. Unlike the heir to Trost, who had supposedly vanished a year ago and had shunned all talk of betrothals and was infamously known to kick those he thought were “unclean” out of his castle, Eren was openly flirted with and liked._

_Although her people loved her, Annie knew her rule would last only if the prince were gone. She still had not born the king any children, nor was he in a hurry as the kingdom already had its prince._

_For now, the king was hale and no one suspected a thing. She would bide her time carefully before taking out the nuisance. Patience and planning was what got her this far._

 

* * *

  

Hopping from side to side excitedly, he couldn’t wait to go riding. It wasn’t his first time out in the woods, but most of the times he was surrounded by a legion of men. Ever since his father, the king, had gotten ill, there had been more and more gossip of him succeeding the throne. As much as he hated all the things his father forced onto him – dance classes, history, finance, and so on – he loved his father and would rather his father stay on the throne longer.

“Ready, my prince?” The two huntsmen walked over to the eager young man.

“As ready as I’ll ever be!” Exchanging a wave to his stepmother, Eren hopped onto the horse and started off with Reiner and Bertolt following closely behind on their mounts. They were his stepmother’s most trusted retainers and the prince was glad he could finally have some freedom. He was turning sixteen in a week and had heard stories of other young men travelling by themselves, sometimes with companions, at that age.

The hot sun blazed down on the riders, but the prince didn’t care about the sweat that was pouring down his back. His heart pounded with excitement of being able to ride in the forest. From childhood, he had loved the woods. The castle was all too stifling at times.

Upon entering the woods, he didn’t quite notice anything amiss. Hearing a crossbow being loaded, he assumed either Reiner or Bertolt had found some wild game to hunt. It wasn’t until he felt the brush of the bolt tear through his leg that he realized that he was their target. The pain startled him and he crashed onto the earth below him, his horse rearing and galloping off into the woods.

Terrified, he turned around to look at the queen’s retainers.

“Wh-why?”

“Sorry lad, but we have our orders.”

“Orders? From who? I am the prince of Rose!”

“Oh, we know that, _Prince Eren_ ,” Reiner got off his mount and smirked as he sauntered towards the prince. Looking back at his companion, he grinned. “The young princeling looks scared, doesn’t he, Bert?”

 _Scared?_ _Of course I’m scared. I was just shot with a crossbow!_ He wanted to scream. He held it in though, not wanting to draw more attention to himself and risk his already-slim chances of escaping.

“Why don’t we have a little fun with him first?” He grinned at his companion, leering suggestively at Eren. “And look, he has he has two holes, perfect for fucking.”

Bertolt looked at his blonde friend before sighing. “Really Reiner?”

“Imagine those bright eyes, that smooth skin, and wrecking that perfect little ass. Imagine that _virgin_ ass dripping with cum.”

The taller guard shivered at those words. Although he didn’t like the idea of forcing himself on anyone, there was something highly seductive about the prince and the way he moved. Perhaps it was how uncannily feminine he was, with his sparkling sea-green eyes; or maybe it was that lithe body and round ass.

“You want first dibs?” Bertolt glanced at his blonde friend, causing him to chuckle.

Eren scurried back, palms being rubbed raw against the forested ground. His thigh was throbbing in pain, his whole body screaming in pain. Eren knew he had to get away, but he doubted he would succeed. His horse had fled and he was wounded. He would much rather die than be raped, but death was only marginally better.

A sudden rustle caused his pursuers to stop and turn around. Taking advantage of their sudden surprise, Eren forced himself to his feet and tried to hobble away.

But it was to no avail.

Reiner caught sight of him trying to flee, and before he could help it, he tripped, falling and hitting his head against a nearby stump.

 _Why…_ He thought desperately as his world turned dark.

 

* * *

 

Levi hated complicated things. The forest was his refuge away from the scheming, the backstabbing, and the marriage talks. The perfumed women his uncle paraded in front of him only made things worse.

Although he hated the dirt, bugs, and filthy animals which inhabited the woods, it was a different type of cleanliness. In the forest, it was natural and did not make his skin crawl in the same way it had back at home. He did, however, make sure his cabin was always pristine.

Hearing a horse’s neigh, Levi turned to see a magnificent black steed galloping past. Raising a brow, he quickly raced from tree to tree, using the grappling device to anchor and swing himself off. Once he was close enough, he released the hooks, and landed on the back of the horse, who had now noticed the sudden rider and was frantically bucking, trying to dislodge him. But he wasn’t skilled for nothing. Within a few moments, he had taken control of the thrashing mount, vaguely taking note of the fine materials the bridle and saddle were made of.

“Lead me to your owner.” Levi murmured half to himself, not expecting the horse to actually turn around and trot towards the direction he came from.

He soon saw a few figures ahead, and with a silent gesture, telling the horse to wait, he dismounted, immediately grappling up the nearest tree, trying to get a better view.

Sneaking around the canopies, he spied three figures – two dressed like guards, and another injured and crawling on the ground. Instinctively, he shuddered at the idea of lying on the dirt – _who knew what animals had shit there?_

But, now was not the time to worry about how many germs there were on the ground.

Levi might not know strangers, but he had seen firsthand what had happened when his mother was raped in front of him. He still remembered those haunted, dead eyes she had, the fire in her eyes as she tried to resist and sacrificed herself to keep him safe; forcing him to hide in a cupboard. She had killed herself shortly afterwards, leaving him at the mercy of his uncle. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, for him, Kenny had suffered an accident in his youth, making him unable to bear children and naming his only blood relative – Levi – as his heir.

Looking down at the ground, he knew it was not an ideal situation. He had left his sword and bow back at home, and only had a dagger and his grappling hooks. In a fair fight he definitely could easily overtake the two guards, but this was no duel. Worse, the insignia he glimpsed at seemed like it was from some noble house. He didn’t give a shit about nobility, but he would be damned if he got himself caught.

Maneuvering himself, he grasped his dagger and launched himself down at the taller of the two. Using the element of surprise, he managed to slice the man’s face, earning a scream of pain, but missing the vital points. Feeling himself about to be tossed away, he used his hooks to grab onto another tree and swung himself to safety. A crossbow bolt followed shortly after, but he had already moved by then.

Two more bolts flew towards him, and from the way they were shooting, he gauged that they were trained, but he was still better.

Tying the ropes securely, Levi made a make-shift sling and swung himself at the blonde. Luckily he managed to get a hold of the man’s hair and within moments had him flung to the ground.

He heard the sound of a crossbow notch being cocked, and he turned to stare at the man. He held his knife at the blonde’s neck, his knee pinning the blonde and making it hard for him to breath. He pressed harder and watched as the other man paused. Blood was running down his face, one of his eyes was completely red.

“You want this man to die?” Levi hissed and pressed his dagger against the blonde’s neck. A line of dark red formed on the steel, trickling down to the ground. The blonde struggled violently and his breath became shallower. “I’ll slit his throat if you even try to shoot. And then I’ll let you join him.”

He seemed to debate over leaving his friend, but his friend made the decision for him.

“B-Bert, just leave me here…”

“I can’t just leave you!” His hands shook violently with the crossbow. Levi feared it was going to accidentally fire, before his captive spoke once more.

“Just go… he’ll probably kill me anyways,” _he got that part right,_ Levi grimly thought to himself, “g-go, save yourself.”

“But Reiner!”

“You heard him. Scram.” Levi pressed his knee harder, making the man choke.

“I’ll come back for you Reiner, I promise!” The taller guard limped towards his horse and when Levi was sure that the man was gone, he promptly slit his captive’s throat.

Blood sprayed out and he grimly noted that he was covered in it. Grimacing, he wiped himself off before turning to the brunet laying a ways away.

Looking down, he slapped the brunet’s face, but the boy remained unconscious. Absently, Levi noticed how soft and supple his skin was, and had the sudden urge to strip and see if the rest of his body was just as tanned and soft.

Sighing at the unconscious lump, he hauled it onto the horse, and led the animal and its owner back to his cabin.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren finally wakes and finds himself at the mercy of a complete stranger, and cleaning freak.

The smell of freshly baked bread woke him and he blinked. Perhaps this was a dream and he was now in the afterlife, Eren thought to himself. If it was a dream, it was one of the most realistic ones he had.

Turning around to view the unfamiliar room, his eye met a pair of curious brown orbs. Jolted out of his reverie, he could only make out a few words.

“… -vi, your guest is awake!” The owner of messy mop of brown hair yelled out.

“Shut … can … hear you, shitty glasses.” A smooth baritone voice replied, getting louder as it neared.

Worried, he snapped his eyes shut and tried to feign sleep, as best he could.

“Oi, brat,” the male voice sounded, “stop faking – we know you’re awake.”

Eren looked up to and saw a pair of silvery grey eyes pin him. A stranger.

“W-who are you?” He choked out, worried that the pale-skinned man might be in cahoots with Reiner and Bertolt.

“Ooh, ooh! I’m Hange! Shorty here is the one that rescued you!” The cheerful, messy mop of brown hair replied. “He even ba-”

Before the sentence could be completed, the shorter, dark-haired man elbowed Hange in the gut.

“Shut it, four eyes.”

“But Leevvviiii-”

At the deathly glare that promised terrible things, the brunette huffed, ‘hmph, see if I bring you tea next time I visit!’ before turning back to Eren with inquisitive eyes.

“So cutie, what’s your name?”

“E-Eren… J-Jeager…” he stuttered out, before realizing that he might have given himself away. When no hint of recognition flared in either of their eyes, or perhaps he was just too groggy and disoriented to notice, a bit of him relaxed. Just slightly.

Raising a hand to his head unconsciously, he looked around. “Umm… Where am I?”

“Tch. What no thank you? Just my luck, a brat with no manners.” The shorter of the two muttered under his breath.

“Sorry. I’m very grateful for your saving me? Thank you.” Eren smiled sheepishly at the man who only continued to furrow his brow in irritation. When he realized the man wasn’t going to respond, the small smile slipped from his mouth and he turned back to other person in the room.

“Hi Eren! I’m Hange, and the midget over there is Levi!”

“Fuck you, don’t call me a midget.”

A book went flying at the brunette, who barely managed to duck, and he found himself hit in the face with it, collapsing back in the bed in the process.

“Levi! Look what you did! What if you killed him!”

“Tch. It’s your fault for ducking and his for being such a weak brat.”

“I-I’m not a brat.”

“Are you okay?”

Nodding weakly, Eren struggled to get back up, and the concerned brown eyes stared back at him, before turning to glare at the dark-haired man. The man who rescued him, and almost killed him, didn’t look the least apologetic as stormed back out of the room after muttering a few things under his breath.

“Here, eat this. You’ve been out cold for the last two days with that gash on your leg. We were worried it was going to get infected, but luckily it’s not. Let me know when you’re done, so I can take a look at it.”

A spoon was shoved in his face and he felt his stomach rumble at the smell of fresh bread and the stew. Not one to deny his hunger, he greedily took the spoon and began tearing into the meal.

 

* * *

 

After Hange had ascertained that his leg was fine and it was only a minor flesh wound, he had found himself at the mercy of his rescuer. It wasn’t like he had anywhere else to go. What little Levi had told him about saving him was that one of them, Reiner, was dead, and the other had managed to escape, which meant that his stepmother probably knew he was still alive. It also meant that he couldn’t return without the fear of finding a dagger in the heart when he returned.

During the last few days here, he had cleaned himself more times than he had back at home. He probably smelled of soap by now. Living with Levi was a curious situation. His rescuer was harsh and demanding, as well as nonchalant and blasé, depending on what one was talking about. When it came to cleanliness, of both the house and Eren himself, he was tyrannical to a fault; but when it came time to things such as what to eat or knowing his guest, the dark-haired male couldn’t care at all. The man had other quirks as well. He was particular about his tea, and the way he drank it. After he had made the man a satisfactory cup once, Eren had found himself put on ‘tea duty’, as he called it, without further ado. Yet, when he had asked why Levi held his cup the way he did, he received a scowl and cutting glance.

Aside from the quirks of his host, he had never lived in such simple accommodations, except for during their journeys to the outlying villages, but even then there were people waiting on him hand and foot. Even when travelling incognito, he was still treated like a minor lord. But here, he had to do everything himself. It was both stressful and slightly relieving, since it meant a smaller chance for him to slip up and reveal himself.

In some ways living with Levi was easier than someone like Hange, whom he had met on his first day here. Levi respected his boundaries, or rather didn’t even bother with his existence for the most part. And it would have been difficult to explain who Reiner and Bertolt were without revealing his identity. Hange, on the other hand, was a bundle of energy and curious. Too curious, almost, until Levi had kicked him out of the house. For that, he was thankful.

But today the silence was killing him.

Sighing to himself, he wondered why his rescuer had such a need for cleanliness. But asking would most likely find himself at the butt-end of another scowl or droll glare.

“Oi brat! What are you doing sitting around?”

The harsh yell surprised him and he spun around, the duster in his hand flying out in a wide arc and sweeping across Levi’s face in the process.

“You little shit…”

A hand raised instantly, threatening, while the other was busy wiping off the dust from his face. For the first time since Reiner and Bertolt, Eren felt scared for his life. The dark-haired man’s face looked hell-bent on issuing out some form of punishment.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Jeager?”

“…umm… cleaning?”

He hadn’t done anything wrong, right? Surreptitiously, he glanced up to see an evaluative glance from the man.

“Cleaning… you’ve been wiping that spot for the last half hour.” Levi deadpanned.

“…well it’s the cleanest part of the house now?” He joked weakly. He really wasn’t in the mood to deal with Levi’s oddities. Or perhaps it was a good thing the man had interrupted his musings. Any longer and he would have started to dwell on how things were back at home. But thinking about that would immediately sour his mood. Not only was today his birthday, and there had been a large celebration planned to commemorate his coming of age, but there was still the thing with his _stepmother_ who had tried to kill him.

“Tch. Stupid brat.”

Levi began to turn around, but before he had taken one step, he immediately swirled back to face Eren.

“Oi, quit your moping. Hurry up and go change.”

“Huh?” He cast a bewildered glance at Levi.

“We’re going outside. Now hurry up brat.”

Casting one last confused glance at the man, he scampered off before Levi could change his mind.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren has a wicked dream after their impromptu visit to the hot spring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry with the short chapters! It was pretty difficult figuring where I was going to separate them, since it was already written, but I promise that the next few will be longer. The next one is 60% done, and I just need to finish writing up a Levi/Eren conversation.
> 
> And... it seems like this might end up being over 10 chapters long, given how I've been chopping them and the unwritten bits I want to add to the plot.
> 
> Also, don't expect so many chapters at once, it's merely what I've already written. Again... disjointed non-serial thought ftw. Seriously though, I hate it at times.

Eren had had a hard struggle to keep from staring at the chiseled eight-pack and the faint scars that crisscrossed on the pale skin. Levi hadn’t known it, but Eren was very grateful about the grumpy man’s attempt to cheer him up on his birthday with the hot springs. Of course, he didn’t tell him the reasons, but since that moment something in his mind seemed to have changed. He noticed himself paying more than an inordinate amount of attention to the man. His eyes followed Levi’s every move, admiring his firm muscles and authoritative gait. Smelling the man’s scent caused his heart to race. Hearing his voice sent tremors down his spine. Eren felt himself on edge and nervous when the shorter male was nearby.

But never had he found himself hard for another man.

Growing up in the palace, he had seen many scarred and muscled guards who were taller than Levi. He had always been envious of the way some people easily gained muscle, but never had Eren felt the desire to run his fingers along another man’s chest, licking every inch of that amazing body.

Least it didn’t seem like the man had noticed. Luckily. Eren was glad he was able to hide his arousal until they returned. He ran up to the bed with a quick goodnight, flushing the whole way.

Wrapped up in thoughts about Levi, he soon drifted off to sleep.

_He whimpered at the loss of Levi’s lips._

_“Patience, brat.”_

_The shorter man smirked, before running his tongue along Eren’s neck, occasionally biting and sucking on the tanned skin._

_“Ahh!” Eren couldn’t help but arch his back at the feel of fingers lightly flicking over his nipples. His hands were tied to the headboard, leaving him utterly at the mercy of the older man._

_“Your nipples are so sensitive, Eren.” A warm breath ghosted next to his ear and a shiver ran through his body._

_“I wonder if you’ll come from only having these played with.” Fingers lightly pinched and pulled on his already hard nubs. He moaned at the sensation, precum leaking out of his hard dick._

_“Levi…” As much as liked the sensation of being teased, he was greedy for more. He needed to be filled with his lover’s thickness. Eren felt so empty without Levi’s cock inside him, stretching him almost painfully._

_“What’s that?”_

_“N-need you inside. Please…” he whined, desperately trying to get some friction along his most sensitive parts._

_“Inside where? Your mouth?” Levi’s fingers continued to play with his body._

_“Or would you rather have me thrust here and stretch out this little pink rosebud of yours?” Eren felt Levi’s thumb press against his ass, and he ground against it, whimpering. A small part of his consciousness told him that he had never taken another man, and it was only a dream._

_“P-please…”_

_“You like that don’t you?” Skilled fingers slowly rubbed circles around his ass, and he nodded his head vigorously. “Horny brat.”_

_Fingers pressed against his mouth and he eagerly sucked on them, knowing that he was finally going to get some relief. He lapped at them with his tongue, eagerly swirling around them, coating the digits._

_Mewling as the fingers left his mouth, trailing his saliva behind, he raised his hips eagerly waiting. Before long, he felt something prod against his perineum, and slowly enter him to thrust lightly. It barely soothed the ache he had._

_“More… Levi, fuck me please…” he begged and ground against Levi’s hand. “…I need your cock in me…”_

_“Fuck.” Eren almost smiled at the sight of those silvery eyes dilating. But he was too far gone for that as his mind vaguely registered another finger entering, stretching and widening his hole. A third entered and he began moving against them, desperate for more.“Such a fucking horny brat.”_

_“Are you sure you’re ready?” Concern clouded those lust-filled eyes and Eren nodded. His pulse was jackrabbiting at the idea of finally being crammed full of dick. Whining at the loss of the fingers, his clutched at the sheets, waiting for the impending penetration. Feeling the throbbing hard tip of his lover’s erection, there was no pain as he was suddenly filled with Levi’s cock._

_“LEVVIII…” he screamed as he came._

Eren suddenly found himself wide-awake on the bed, alone. Levi was nowhere in sight. His skin was soaked in sweat and he felt an unfamiliar stickiness between his thighs. Glancing down, he saw his pants soaked with cum.

He had heard of wet dreams before, but this was Eren's first time experiencing one. It was more graphic than he had imagined. And never in a million years did he think that he would find himself thinking about being ravaged by another man. A shorter, but extremely attractive man.

For a few minutes, he lay in bed trying to mute his heavy breathing, waiting for a sign that he had been heard. In the back of his mind, he could feel his nether entrance twitching around nothingness as he came down from his release. Hearing nothing, Eren let out the deep breath he was holding. If Levi had heard him, which it didn’t seem like he had, he would gladly hang himself from the nearest tree to save himself from the embarrassment at having to explain why he had screamed the man’s name. Still, there was a small part of him wished the dream was real.

 _Levi might not even be gay_ , he chastised himself. And he barely knew the man. Nor did he know how two males having sex was supposed to feel. Only rumours and tall tales told to him by gossiping mouths.

He had masturbated before, to women of course, but it had felt him unsatisfied. There were always stories of the various sexual escapades with maids or eager widows around court. As the heir, he was able to operate with some level of autonomy. But from childhood, the notion of things never to do had been drilled into the brunet’s mind. Things such as begetting a child with someone unsuitable. Instead, he had preferred more naturalistic outdoor pursuits, such as hunting. Eren had always thought himself skilled at them, but having seen Levi in the last few days only made him aware of the wide divide in their skills. Ironically, he had always been jealous of others who were better than him, but the sheer power and grace the shorter man exhibited, only made him more attractive.

Pulling off his pants, he shucked them onto the ground and went to find something to wipe off the remaining fluid. After grabbing another of the proffered pants, he grimaced at the mess. He could deal with it tomorrow, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And of course, no, Levi isn't happy with the mess he's made. For those eager for more, there is more coming up. We'll revisit the hot springs with Levi in tow later. I promise.
> 
> P.S. you should try a hot spring sometime, but they are amazing. Just remember to bring a lot of water, since you'll dehydrate really easily


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren overhears some disconcerting news relating to his disappearance and is confronted about it by Levi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've been tearing my hair out for a while in terms of how to work certain elements in, and the more I thought about the plot, the more I figured I would need to write. And I really want to keep less than 3 open works at a time, but given how many chapters the outline for this is turning out to be, I'm going to try and keep it under 10 chapters... we'll see...  
> Oh, and yes, Kenny is going to come back in this in a little later. Ah, Kenny, it's so much fun writing his parts sometimes.
> 
> As always, kudos, suggestions, and comments are always welcomed! Cheers!

It turned out that his dark-haired host was not very happy about the dried mess on his pants to put it lightly. His eyes had narrowed dangerously when he saw the stains and for a moment Eren thought he was going to be killed.

Sighing, he viciously scrubbed the article of clothing. Levi’s mood had barely improved even after Eren promised to clean the mess he made. Dealing with the moody midget was harder than living back at the palace and all the lessons he had to put up with. At least back at home, he knew what to expect. Facades and masks worked when dealing with unpleasantness, but Levi had a way of seeing behind those guises.

Looking over his handiwork, Eren groaned internally. How could he even dream of sleeping with the man who was constantly demeaning and scolding him? At least Levi didn’t mention hearing him last night; that would have made things too awkward. He really would have needed to hang himself if that were the case.

Hanging up the now clean garment, he trudged back to the house. Explaining why it was stained had been extremely embarrassing, and he had absolutely no desire to face the other male anytime soon.

The moment he entered, a cacophony of voices assaulted his ears.

Before he even managed to fully open the door, a loud yell assaulted his ears.

“HELL NO!” Levi’s voice cut through the air. This was the first time he had ever heard Levi so angry. Normally, it was a cold anger, but his hear palpitated at the vehemence in the dark-haired man’s voice.

Grasping the knob of the door, he shut it behind him quietly, hoping that no one had heard him return. A sense of morbid curiosity filled him as he approached the voices. Eren could feel his heart pounding ten times faster and he wondered what had pissed off the other man. He could almost feel Levi’s anger on his tongue, it was so palpable lingering in the air.

“There’s no fucking way, Erwin!”

“But, Levi… Kenny is g–”

He recognized the low voice of reason. Erwin and Hange had come over a week after he met Levi and he was shocked at how indifferent they were as death threats flew their way. Hange teased Eren relentlessly about Levi and his habits, inquiring about how it was to live with the man. Erwin was a bit more subtle and intervened whenever things got too heated. He had enjoyed their visit; it made him forget about his near-death experience.

“I already told you – I don’t give a shit! Kenny can do whatever the fuck he wants!” Levi heaved a breath and his broken voice gave Eren pause. “There’s no way I’m going back there while he’s there… you know what that bastard did to Isabel and Farlan …”

“Fine… just think about it, okay?” The blonde seemed to have given up on persuading Levi. The only response Erwin received was a question, signaling a change in topics.

“So what was the other thing you wanted to tell me?”

“It’s about Rose.”

“Rose?”

The word immediately drew Eren’s attention. Since the failed attempt at his life and body, there was the barest of news from his country. At first he was worried that Levi was one of them, and then, it had never really been brought up again. His host hadn’t wanted to know, and Eren didn’t really care to share. That said, he was still anxious to know about what was going on back at home. His father hadn’t been in the best of health when he left, passing it off as a spring chill, but knowing what his stepmother had done, he was worried. And his stepmother…

“It seems like they’re on the brink of a civil war. From what we know, their crown prince is missing, the queen is with child, and the king is rumored to be on his deathbed. The prince’s side wants to find the missing heir and put him back on the throne, while the queen’s faction wants to name the unborn child heir. They claim that any prince worth his salt would never abandon his country for such a long time.”

 _Father’s dying? It can’t be..._ Eren felt the blood drain out of his body and he slumped onto the ground. The rest of the conversation felt on deaf ears. It didn’t matter that there might be a civil war, or that his place on the throne was in question. He simply wanted to see his father again.

“So what?”

“There’s a reward for news of the prince – dead or alive. There are armies searching for him as we speak. Although we’re in Sina, this place is close enough to Rose that there might be men searching here. You need to be careful.”

 Eren could barely make out what Erwin was saying. His mind was in a state of shock.

“Like I care. It’s not like I have…the kid. What’s his name anyways?” Levi stopped before realizing he didn’t know his name.

“Aaron. Or Aren. Can’t remember; they have all the funny sounding names.” Hange hummed. “I swear they sometimes have the weirdest spellings and pronunciations. Like King _Grisha_ … that just sounds wrong. Makes me think of things like grisly geishas or grim reaper geishas…”

The prince let out a small sigh of relief at the fact that Hange didn’t seem to remember his name. It gave him a small modicum of comfort knowing that Levi might not put two and two together, though he probably would, knowing the man.

“Oi shitty glasses, how can you not remember his name?”

“Le – ouch!” He could imagine the swift kick that Levi must have dished out.

“Hange… stop teasing him.” Erwin’s sighed ignoring the fuss between his conversation partners. “As I was about to say –”

“Let me tell him!” Hange interrupted, jumping up excitedly. Before anyone could stop the brunette, a tirade had started.

“Well there are a lot of rumors floating around about his disappearance. Some say he’s dead, others say he’s fled. And there’s some pretty funny ones as well! Last week I heard someone say that witches fell in love with him and kidnapped him to have his children! As if his bloodline is any good… nobles are so inbred these days, so much chance for all those nasty illnesses… oohhh, and there’s my favourite! Eloping with the queen’s guards. Now having two lovers is always so much fun… but it’s a bit much at that age…”

“Hange…”

“But you know what’s even more interesting? There are rumors that he was kidnapped by a short man with dark hair and grey eyes. Sound like anyone you know?”

Levi snorted.

“Why the fuck would I kidnap a royal brat that I haven’t even seen before?”

“Well he’s supposed to be _really_ cute and we both know you’re into guys. Like that cutie pie you have stashed away. Have you done with h– OW! Stop kicking me Levi!”

Eren’s mind froze for a second time within minutes. Levi was gay? A part of him wanted to rejoice at the thought, while the other part of his brain was still numb from all the revelations.

Before he could come to his senses, he heard Hange’s grumbling at being forced out of the house and farewells being said, horses neighing, and the door closing.

“Well brat… what do you have to say for yourself?”

He looked up and saw Levi’s frowning countenance staring down at him. For the third time that day, Eren felt himself freeze.

 

* * *

 

Dinner was a quiet affair.

Eren was afraid Levi would kick him out or worse turn him in, after revealing that he was, in fact, the missing prince. But nothing had happened – yet. Levi hadn’t said a word about it, only grunted, before returning to his daily routine. It only confused Eren more. Most people would be eager to earn a reward or be granted a boon from royalty, wouldn’t they?

Feeling eyes bore into him, he looked up to see a frown marring Levi’s face.

“So how much did you hear?”

“From what?” He was disoriented from the sudden question.

Levi shot him a glance that seemed to question his intelligence.

“The talk with Erwin and Hange?” Eren had to fight to withhold a snarky comment as his dining companion grunted. As if he could read minds!

“Umm… I came in while you guys were talking about someone called ‘Kenny’?” Displeasure soured Levi’s face at the name.

A moment passed before the snarl vanished and the dark-haired man returned to his neutral emotionless expression. Picking at his carrot, Eren nibbled the vegetable, not really tasting it. The silence grated on his nerves. Eren wasn’t sure what to say and what _not_ to say without giving too much away. Things had always been awkward between them, but since his little _incident_ last night and the conversation earlier today, he felt like he was walking on a tightrope on top of a deathtrap.

“What else?”

“That there’s some… errr… trouble brewing in the Rose kingdom?”

His eyes were turned towards his plate when replying, but he still felt the pair of impossible-to-decipher grey eyes bore into him. They had talked about his disappearance, and he no idea of what would happen to him if they knew. On one hand he was glad they hadn’t talked about capturing or finding him for the bounty, but on the other hand he was nervous about why they were so concerned with news from Rose. From the way they had talked about it and Levi’s sword stance, it didn’t seem they were from Rose, but it was hard to tell. Regardless, it was a little disconcerting.

“You came from there, didn’t you brat?”

He felt the blood drain from his hands and face as tried his best to look unaffected by the question. The grasp on his fork trembled slightly and it was only with great effort that he managed to mute the anxiety flooding him. But it wasn’t completely possible to mask the uncertainty when he replied. “Y-yes…?”

“Ever met or saw the prince?”

“N-No…”

That part wasn’t a lie at least. He really hadn’t met or saw the prince, since he couldn’t technically _meet_ himself. His head remained downcast, and he could feel the heavy stare finally break away. Timidly, Eren raised his head to see a contemplative look on Levi’s face as he slowly sipped his tea. The man hadn’t found out, had he?

 

Eren had problems falling asleep that night. He wasn't tired at all and his brain was coming up with an assortment of things that might go wrong if he didn't leave. Twisting and turning on the bed, the more he thought about it, the more convinced he was that Levi suspected something. It wouldn’t be too surprising, despite Hange messing up his name - for which he was thankful of - that Levi knew that he was the missing prince.

Unfortunately, he had no idea where they were or where to go. He knew they were somewhere in the Great Forest, which spanned the borders and lands of Rose, Maria, Sina, and Trost but he had no idea where in the forest he was. He had never really pried and Levi had never really offered much detail as to their location. Even if he managed to leave, he might easily end up in one of the other three kingdoms, given how it was difficult to get a sense of direction in the woods.

Despite his reluctance to leave, Eren knew he had to. Over the last few days he had gotten used to living in this small closed-off world in the middle of nowhere. Here, daily things such as attending royal banquets, replying to invitations, or all those tedious lessons didn’t exist. The air was fresh and the nights were quiet. Eren enjoyed waking up to the smells of the forest and chirping of the birds. It was too bad he couldn’t stay.

Tiptoeing, he gathered what little belongings he had and the few articles of clothing they had loaned or given him – a heavy cloak for the cold, nice cotton shirt, and pants. Pausing, once to pen a small note for Levi, he slowly swung his door open, wincing at the sound of the squeak of the hinges as it swung open. Crossing his fingers, hoping that no one had heard the sound. Luckily the trip down the stairs was easier.

Nearing the door, he was about to place his hand on the knob, when the sound of a throat clearing grabbed his attention.

“Levi!” He jumped at the sound, panicking. The rapid ‘thump, thump’ of his heart filled his ears.

Gripping his bag tightly, Eren tried to inch towards the door. If he could get there, he might be able to get to the horses and get away. But the steely tone in Levi’s voice cut him short. The man’s physical abilities were grades above him. It was much more realistic for Levi to catch up to him before he even stepped outside.

“Going somewhere?” Levi’s cold, unyielding tone made him stop in his tracks. He knew he would never be able to win physically against the shorter male.

“No…” Eren tried to hide the small rucksack filled with necessities, but there was a slight flickering in those dark eyes as they caught his movements. Hastily, he tried to change the topic. “Ummm… why are you here?”

Unfortunately, the man had a tenacity of a shark that had scented blood. “I should ask you the same question, brat.”

They stood there at a standstill. Both of them were too stubborn to give in, and Eren was also afraid of being found out. Finally, Levi broke the tension by rubbing his temples.

“It’s too late for this. I’m going to make some tea and you can tell me all about your fool’s errand, brat.”

The look that was cast at him before the shorter male turned to walk towards the kitchen was commanding, and brooked no disobedience. Eren knew if he didn’t follow, that things would turn out much uglier.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren is confronted by Levi about his identity while drinking tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff! And what Levi actually thinks about on Eren. Some foreshadowing to the oncoming smut - we all know who's going to get some next time! ;)
> 
> Cheers!  
> Kudos, comments, and suggestions are always welcome.

Waiting for the water to boil, Levi mulled over the facts in his head. The moment he had met and saved the brat, he already had his suspicions that Eren was more than what he claimed to be. The boy’s clothing, horse, and those of his attackers, were too well made and expensive for common folk. The odd manners and habits when eating, his upper-crust accent, and his initial lack of ability in basic household tasks, only heightened Levi’s suspicions. With the addition al piece of news from Hange and Erwin earlier today, there was one very likely candidate for the brat’s identity: the missing prince of Rose.

The high-pitched whistling from the kettle drew his attention, and he carefully lifted it from the stove. Poured the water into the pot, Levi watched from the corner of his eyes as the brat shifted nervously at his seat. Initially, it had only been a probabilistic suspicion, but upon seeing the boy’s reaction from being asked whether he was from Rose or not, he was fairly certain that somehow he had rescued the prince.

Walking back to kitchen table, Levi watched as fearful green eyes stared back at him. The negative emotions – fear, anxiety, and dread – reflecting in them didn’t sit well with him. Pouring the steaming liquid into two separate cups, he mulled over the choices. Ask Eren directly or try to get it out indirectly.

Levi figured it would be easier to get the worst out of the way. There was no reason to pretend to be something he wasn’t; subtlety was never his strength anyways. He waited until Eren wasn’t drinking from the cup, before opening his mouth. “Are you the missing prince of Rose?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re accusing me of…”

Levi wanted to roll his eyes at the absurdity of Eren’s statement. Judging from his reaction, it was clear as day that the brat was lying. Mentally, he reviewed the pile of evidence that stated otherwise, but there really wasn’t any. “Bullshit. Don’t lie to me, Eren.”

“Wh-what will you do, if I am?” There was a small tremble in those tanned hands, as the brat slowly picked up the teacup, as if to soothe his frazzled nerves from the sudden inquisition.

“Nothing.” Holding the cup between his thumb and forefinger, he took a sip, allowing his words to sink in. There was a slight widening of surprise in those green eyes he had gotten used to looking at. Although the faintest hope had remained that Eren wasn’t the prince, he internally berated himself for thinking so.

“Oh.” Eren looked at him curiously, head slightly cocked to the side. “Why not? Most people would.”

“Tch. Does it matter if you’re some royal brat or some common brat? You’re still a brat.”

“I’m not a brat.” He almost caught the smile that formed as the _brat_ glared at him. Eren really had nice eyes. What was the saying… ah, eyes are the window to the soul. And in his case, you could see all his emotions and the truth laid out. It was refreshing.

“So, why are you sneaking out in the middle of the night, brat?”

“I’m not a brat!” Levi raised a brow in question and received a small unflattering huff. “I – uh – mean I-I’m a-a prin-prince… and I thought that you were going to turn me in or kill me or… something.”

“Kill you? I wouldn’t have saved your sorry ass then.” Levi took a leisurely sip of his tea, watching the boy squirm uncomfortably from the confession. “And who cares if you’re prince?”

“B-but…”

“What were you going to do when you left? Do you even know where we are?” There was a mute hesitant shake of his head. There was a reason the brat was a brat. Only brats ran off half-cocked without adequate preparation or knowledge. “And what were you going to do if you’re found? News of your disappearance is everywhere. How do you know the next person you meet won’t reenact the reason I found you in the first place?”

“I don’t know…I just thought…”

“Tch, figures.” Eren fell silent at the reprimand, and he felt a small pang of anxiety at that. He didn’t want to hurt the brat, but it was the truth. He had ‘learned’ from the most ruthless of them after all.

Levi liked the brat. He didn’t ask stupid questions about his height or quirks, worked hard, and knew how to brew a nice pot of tea – after being shown how. And there was the untainted, almost naïve, honesty in him; the kind that was usually stained from being surrounded by court vipers, and yet had remained pure. Eren being his type and easy on the eyes was just an added bonus.

But the brat was a crown prince, which translated into responsibilities and duties. Moreover, Rose was known for its public decrying of homosexuality. Pity, a romp between the sheets with the brat would have been fun, and it didn’t seem like Eren would be averse to it after all that shameless ogling and crying out his name last night. Nevertheless, if the opportunity came, who was to begrudge the brat for what he wanted?

Rubbing his forehead, Levi let out a silent sigh. First of all, however, he needed to make sure the boy wouldn’t run off half-cocked and get himself killed, raped, maimed, or imprisoned. “Look, I won’t do anything, so let’s just wait for four-eyes and shitwin to tell us more. In the meantime, if you’re so hell-bent on getting back, I’ll show you approximately where we are and you can figure your shit out tomorrow in the daytime. That work?”

“B-but…”

He stared unrelentingly, and watched as the stubbornness in those eyes faded. Eren finally acquiesced, giving a small mute note. Levi grunted. Least that was easy. He had almost expected some kind of fight over it. But a win was a win, he'd take it. And it meant more time with the brat.

Standing up, he collected their empty cups, washing them, and putting them on the rack, before heading towards the staircase. The brat was oddly quiet as he followed him to the staircase. Seeing Eren stand by the staircase not moving, he crossed his arms. “Now, go to bed, else I’ll haul you up there myself.”

“I-I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble…” Levi caught the boy squirming before he started up the stairs. That was the understatement of the century. He gave the brat a pointed, droll look. Levi didn’t like people. They were mostly dirty, self-serving, hypocritical bastards. But he liked Eren.

“And… thank you…for rescuing me, letting me stay, and everything…” The brat stuttered, before turning around and looking at him with confusion in his eyes. “Why are you doing this?”

“Tch, don’t worry about that.” He waved it off without a concern, thinking for a moment how he would reply to the second half of the question. Normally, he wouldn’t have moved a finger; sights like Eren’s were common enough in the alleys where he had first met Farlan and Isabel and realized his uncle’s wickedness and lack of respect for life. Figuring that the truth wouldn’t hurt, a small corner of his mouth curled up as Levi replied. “I like you, brat.”

“Oh.” There was a faint blush on those cheeks as the brat scampered up the remainder of the stairs. “Goodnight Levi…”

“‘Night, brat.”

 

* * *

 

Surreptitiously, he glanced at the man standing a several lengths away. Sunlight streamed down on the blur, his blade reflecting the bright rays, as Levi began to train. It was a lethal dance. Beautiful. Deadly. Every movement was graceful and smooth, but one of death as he slashed the air. Eren wished he had even a tenth of that ability, speed, and strength.

After revealing, or confirming his identity rather, Eren felt as though they had grown a tad closer. Levi’s reaction relieved him and also made him slightly happy. The load was finally off his chest and he didn’t need to pretend. Last night when Levi had told him that it didn’t matter if he was a prince or not, his first reaction had been anger, but that was quickly replaced with surprise and finally a little bit of hope…

Everyone who knew he was a prince treated him as if he was different than them. As a child, he was surrounded by adults trying to up mold him into their desires, restrict his every movement. It was why he enjoyed hunting and the outdoors, without all voices telling him what he could and couldn’t do. Being here, like this, with a stunningly attractive man, who allowed him to be simply Eren, not Prince Eren, was unreal.

He liked being with Levi. He was brusque, rude, and callous, but there was something softer underneath that Eren drew him in. It was the same side that saved him and convinced him to stay; he didn’t want to leave. The man being attractive, and a walking wet dream, was an added benefit.

Eren hadn’t realized he had been sitting there staring at Levi, dreaming all sorts of erotic things they could do, when the person himself called out.

“Oi, brat. Hot springs tonight?”

Fuck, yes. Any chance to see the man unclothed with those grey eyes darkened with lust made his body hot. Nodding, he ran off eagerly to grab his things. Eren only wished he had more experience to know _how_ to get the man between his pants. It couldn’t be that hard.

Levi had said he liked him… right?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hot spring sex. 'nuff said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That said, I know it's not as graphic as some might have wanted. This piece is turning out to be more fluff than smut, but that's probably because of how the later chapters play out. But I kind of enjoy it this way better.
> 
> Kudos, suggestions, and comments are always welcome!
> 
> * * *

Slipping down in the hot, steamy water, he closed his eyes and relaxed. The natural hot springs were absolutely heavenly and in a secluded part of the forest. Eren could feel the heat wick the tiredness from his sore limbs, as well as all the worries about his father, away. Hearing a splash off to the side, he bent his head and was privy to the sight of a very naked man.

 _I wonder what he would feel like…_ Eren thought to himself as he watched Levi rinse the sweat off in a nearby stream before walking over to the springs. The pale muscles on the man’s back rippled as the man brought water above his head and poured it down. The water sluiced down, caressing that firm flesh, and Eren couldn’t help licking his lips at the sight. Slicked with water, a hand ran through his hair, moving it out of his eyes. Despite his height, the man was a moving sex magnet.

Heat pooled to his groin and Eren found himself hardening under the water. The temperature from the spring made the throbbing organ more sensitive. The man turned and Eren averted his gaze too late. Levi had caught him staring. Partially submerged, he blew bubbles in the water, trying to calm himself down. His face was on fire. Eren had never felt so embarrassed in his whole sixteen years of living.

“Enjoying the sight?”

Looking up, he found his gaze trapped by the shorter man’s eyes. Levi smirked, and Eren wanted to die. The man probably knew what he was fantasizing about.

“Umm… sorry, I didn’t mean to… umm… I’ll go now…”

Turning his back towards the man, he tried to stand up and walk away, his face burning with shame, before he heard Levi’s voice.

“Oi brat, get back here.”

“Sorry… I’m sorry for staring…” He slowly turned and found himself nearly face to face, or rather face to chest with Levi. Blushing, Eren sat down, getting an eyeful of the _thing_ that had gotten him in trouble in the first place. It was still flaccid, but he knew that the male was larger than him. The water rippled, letting out a small splash as Levi joined him in the steaming water.

He was about to open his mouth and say something, before a rough hand grabbed his chin and tilted his head sideways. Lips descended on his, and let out a small mewl as Levi’s tongue traced the seam between his lips. Opening his mouth, Eren could taste a slight hint of black tea and the the cool refreshing taste of mint. He was on cloud nine.

“Don’t be.” The darker growl cut through the fuzz in his brain.

“Huh?” All he could think about was the fact Levi had kissed him. French kissed him.

“There’s no need to be sorry, brat.”

“Oh.” The same hand pulled him forward, so that he was straddling those firm thighs as lips pressed towards against his again. Eren craned his head downwards, eagerly opening his mouth, allowing his tongue to twirl around the other man’s. He felt Levi’s tongue slip into his mouth and he moaned. A hand reached underneath the water, cupping his hardening cock, and he clutched onto those muscled biceps, rolling his hips at the sensation.

When their lips broke apart again, he was breathing heavily against Levi, hands hanging onto those pale shoulders, as those thin lips moved down. A streak of fire flared, those silvery eyes glittering as they stared back at him, as Levi sucked and licked on his nipples

“Ah!” Eren could help yelp as there was a slight feel of teeth tugging on it. Eyes darkened with lust stared back at him, and he clapped his mouth over the embarrassing sound.  A hand immediately tugged his down. Those silvery eyes glaring back at him.

“Don’t cover yourself, brat.”

“B-but…” He fidgeted uncomfortably as his gazed were trapped by predatory ones, ashamed of the sounds he had made.

“I _want_ to hear you, Eren. All those sexy little pants and moans you make when I’m touching you.” He felt a breath of cool air blow over him and he shivered. Levi’s hot wet tongue slowly slid over his peaks and this time he let out a small whimper.

“So beautiful and sensitive …” Hands caressed replaced mouth, as they caressed his skin. Faint prickles were left behind by as they trailed downwards. The cool night air caused goosebumps to form. Kisses were pressed against his neck and throat. Their hard-ons press against each other, and Eren rolled his hips to gain more of that blissful sensation.

Gathering his courage, he ran his hands down that toned body, feeling the contours of Levi’s body. He traced the abdominal muscles, enjoying the feel of the smooth, pale hardness. He could feel a hand shift, gliding lower. There was a firm squeeze on his bottom, before fingers skimmed against his ass. Eren found himself grinding unconsciously towards the foreign sensation. “Hahhh…”

“Like that don’t you?” His eyes popped open at the feeling of a finger pressed against his ass, seeking entrance.

“Le-Levi…” he whined, half scared of the pain, half aroused at the thought of finally experiencing the foreign sensations he had dreamed about.

“Do you know what I’m going to do to you, Eren?”

“Y-yes…” he panted, feeling something prod his nether hole, seeking and questioning. Then suddenly, it paused. A hand roughly yanked his head back and he looked back confused. Eren was worried that he had suddenly done something wrong. “Levi…?

“Is it your first time, Eren? Are you sure you want this?”

“Y-yes… I-I’m s-sorry I d-don’t k-know what to do… I’ve never done this before…” He flushed, and hid his face behind his hands and saw a small smile creep up the corner of the man’s mouth.

“Don’t worry.” Levi’s mouth danced across his collarbones, leaving a trail of love bites behind. He loved that he was the first to penetrate and taste that virgin flesh. The first person to introduce that sensitive body to the pleasures of lovemaking. “Since it’s your first time, I’m sorry but it will hurt a bit. So, I’m going to try and stretch you out so it’s not as painful. Okay, brat?”

Eren nodded, his heart skipping a beat at the statement and the fact that Levi actually cared for his comfort.

Levi’s mouth pressed firmly against his, his tongue, warm and demanding as it plundered into Eren’s cavern. Their tongues dancing and dueling. At that same moment, he felt a finger enter him, slowly sliding in and out. It didn’t feel too bad, just weird. A second one soon followed, twisting and curling. He was soon caught up in the strange sensations, not realizing that he had begun moving and grinding his hips against Levi’s fingers.

“L-Levi… M-more…”

There was a dull ache when a third one slipped in, stretching him out. Eren felt them searching for something, pressing against his walls, and suddenly a streak of lightning ran through his body. “Ahh!”

“Like that, brat?” There was a satisfied smirk as Levi watched him.

“Y-yes…”

The fingers continued to assault his sweet spot, bringing him closer to completion than he had ever been. Levi’s other hand rubbed against his cock, jerking him off. He was moaning, crying out obscenities, begging for more. The combination of the sensations soon had him seeing white. He was so close to his release, until suddenly it stopped.

Bewildered, Eren tried rolling his hips to feel that pleasure again, whimpering as those fingers left him. Hot water of the spring surged to fill the emptiness inside him, but it wasn’t enough. He felt the blunt thick tip press against him, and couldn’t help the whine that escaped. “L-Levi… please…”

“Patience brat.”

One hand held his hipbone, the other slowly guiding that hardness against him. Slowly, he felt his entrance being penetrated as Levi’s cock stretched his hole, filling him at an agonizing pace.

“Unghh…” Clutching onto those muscled shoulders, Eren had never felt such an alien pain before as the hard length slowly embedded itself inside him. It felt so good and yet hurt so much as he felt Levi’s cock enter him.

“You’re so fucking tight Eren.” Levi groaned out. “Relax for me, brat.”

Then the man stopped, Eren didn’t know what was worse. The fact that his ass was on fire or the fact that it didn’t seem like it would work out between them. He had wanted this, to be taken by Levi, but Eren hadn’t known how much it could hurt. The pain was much more than he had even imagined, searing him from the inside. He wriggled his bottom trying to adjust and make it feel better, but only succeeded on impaling himself deeper. Eren whimpered when the iron grip on his hips abruptly stopped his movements.

“H-hurts, L-Levi… take it out…”

“Stop moving, brat. Relax, dammit.” The dark-haired man said through gritted teeth. Levi looked like he was struggling not to move. “I don’t want to make it any worse.”

It felt hot, both inside and out. The heat from the springs gently lapped against his skin, making the slight chill of the night air even more pronounced. Down below the hot water added caused sensitive half-pain, half-pleasure prickles to the already sensitive organ.

Gentle fingers rubbed leisurely circles against his hips and he tried focusing on it, remembering all the other things that had sent his body into a frenzy earlier. Slowly, he forced himself to relax and allowed himself to just _feel_ that thickness stretching him wide open. It was a strange sensation, having something so large impaling him.

Gradually, although Levi’s engorged cock had hurt, the pain was starting to dim. Eren felt it replaced with a different heat running through his veins, he was going to burn up from the inside. He couldn’t help squirm a little, tightening and loosening his muscles around that hard intrusion.

“So hot… feels like my ass it going to melt…haaa…”

“Shit, don’t arouse me like that brat.” There was a slight thrust and Eren whimpered at the sensation. His ass was still too sore from being penetrated, but the motion rubbed against something that sent a weird jolt through him. “Ah!”

“Wha-what was that…?” He panted, still disoriented from the sudden lightning that ran through his system.

“Your sweet spot, Eren.” There was a positively feral grin as Levi’s eyes bored back into his. The strain was still evident as his jaw was tightened, most likely trying not to move.

“Oh.” Hands continued to massage him, and he felt the pain subside away completely. Feeling a little bit more used to having Levi’s dick inside, he wiggled a little bit, seeking that sensation earlier.

“Oi, brat. Stop squirming, else I’m going to fuck you right here and now.” Hands clasped at his waist, but he didn’t stop. He wanted that wave of pleasure from before.

“D-doesn’t hurt anymore… L-Levi, please…”

“You sure?”

“Y-yes, Levi move… Please…” Hands lifted him up and he almost cried at the emptiness, before Levi’s cock slammed into him. Eren had never felt anything like it before as the hardness impaled itself deeper inside him. He cried out as the jolt of lightning ran through his body once more. “Ahhh…! Oh my god, more…”

“Shit, you feel so fucking tight. So fucking good.”

The first few thrusts were softer, and Eren grew impatient, eagerly rolling his hips for more. Taking the initiative and idea from when Levi had lifted him up, he tightly grabbed the man’s shoulders, holding himself up and then sat back down, screaming at the pleasure that filled him. “Ahhhhh!”

The water grew frothy as they began to move in union. He was a panting, quivering mess as Levi thrust into him with increasing force. Eren didn’t care how loudly he screamed each time that impressive member filled him up. He was burning up. All he could think about was feeling more as he desperately arched his back, moving himself up and down in synchronized movements with Levi. He was so close, stars dancing in his vision as continued to ride that thickness.

“Ah! Yes! Levi! Ah!”

A hand came and wrapped itself around his sensitive erection and within a few strokes, Eren was a goner. Waves of pleasure surged through him and he writhed, grinding himself harder on that thickness as he climaxed. He could feel Levi’s movements grow choppier as he collapsed against the shorter male. Exhausted, he was dimly aware of something warm flooding his insides as Levi cried out his name.

It took a few minutes for Eren to regain his breath. When he did, he looked up to see Levi equally worn out, gazing at him with concerned eyes.

“You okay brat?”

“Yes…” Eren flushed, licking his lips from the dryness in his throat. “I didn’t know it could feel so good, Levi.”

“Good.” There was a relieved look as hands pulled him down for another kiss. “Let’s go home; you’re looking a bit too red.”

His head was beginning to grow dizzy from having found his release and the heat from the water, as Levi pulled out and gently cradled him out of the springs. Eren was only dully aware of being clothed. The cool air was refreshing against his skin as he slowly closed his eyes, feeling the beating heart next to his ear as he was carried back to the cabin.

When they returned, Eren was a little surprised to find himself brought to Levi’s room and placed on the bed. But he was too sleepy to question anything as the man pulled the sheets over them, arms wrapped around his waist as Levi spooned behind him.

 

Neither of them liked it when their peace was cut short a few days later.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> News of the king's passing devastates Eren and he leaves in the dead of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I apologize if this has feels to it. Especially in light of the previous chapter. But it just felt right. Only about 2 more chapters to go!

Hiding the tremble in his hands, he added some of the powder he had ground up from valerian root and chamomile, into the tea leaves. Eren felt guilty that he had to use the knowledge and skills Levi had taught him, against him. But it was his only way of making sure his escape was successful. It would be even easier for the man to wake up and catch him again if he tried to sneak out in the middle of the night, since they were sleeping together now.

Watching the hot water seep into the brew, he only hoped it would work and Levi wouldn’t hate him for what he was doing. The dark-haired male was very particular about his tea and valerian had a bitter tinge to it. Luckily, chamomile should mask it and he could always use the excuse that it was for him.

News of his father’s passing devastated him. He regretted not leaving earlier and seeing his father while he was still alive, but there was nothing he could do now. Eren knew that what he was doing wasn’t ideal, but all he could think about now was the fact his last remaining family member was dead. Hange and Erwin had dropped by earlier this afternoon with the news, along with some other things for Levi. Since then, his mind was driven by only one thing: that his father was dead. The king of Rose had passed away in the night and the nation would be in a state of mourning for the next week or so. It would be a few days before the state funeral would and Eren knew that seeing his father off was the least he could do.

Thankfully, Levi hadn’t detected anything amiss and had taken it as he had done so before, sipping in quiet contentment. The sight of the dark-haired man doing so made his heart twinge, and Eren excused himself to have some time alone outside. He didn’t want more reminders of what he had done.

The cool evening breeze blew through him, making him shiver. Without the brightness of the city, the stars twinkled brightly at him against the blackness of the night. It was so strange; this peaceful haven away from all the chaos of being a prince. Crickets chirped in the distance and Eren liked the solace it offered him. There was no one to tell him what to do, or sway his mind. But in the shadows of the night, his fears also resurfaced. What if he was making the wrong choice? What if it had all been an elaborate prank?

In the quiet darkness, Eren tried arguing with himself about whether his choice was the best decision, but it always ended the same way. Levi might have saved him and had come to mean a lot to him, but his father was the one who had raised him for the last sixteen years and his last remaining blood relation.

Walking back inside, he smiled wanly at the shorter male before helping him put the cups away. Eren only hoped he had made the right decision.

His guilt only intensified as he felt Levi drift off to sleep next to him. In the last two days, since that time in the hot springs, Eren found himself falling deeper in love with the man. His life before Levi seemed pallid and austere in comparison. All he wished was for time to stop and to continue being side-by-side with the man. Aside from the blunt lack of filter or his penchant for swearing, he loved the small gestures of affection Levi showed. Such as the quiet show of support when he retold his lover the details of what happened in the forest.

 _Lover_.

The term was still foreign to him, but Eren supposed it was the best way to frame their relationship. There was nothing formal binding them together and Levi had never said much in the way of a confession, but neither had he. Their first time together had been a surprise to him, but he would remember it for as long as he lived. The past few hours were blissful in more than one, and Eren didn’t want to leave. But he had to.

Crawling out of bed, he readied his things. Casting a glance at the dark-haired male, he knew that Levi would be upset with him leaving without notice. Grabbing a pen and paper, Eren figured the best way would be to leave a note; not that it was necessary. Levi would easily be able to guess where he had gone.

It hurt much more than he had anticipated as Eren reread the note he had painstakingly penned for Levi. He couldn’t help the tears that filled his eyes at the thought of deceiving and leaving his lover behind. Eren still wasn’t sure what he would do when he returned to Rose, but if he did succeed the crown and become king, there was no possibility of being together.

Love between two of the same sex wasn’t technically banned, but the other nobles would never approve of his choice of marrying a man. He was too young to rule without a Regent for the next two years until he came of age. Until then, all decisions would never be his to make. Even after he was king, it would be impossible. Being king would necessitate having an heir and relations between two men would never bear children. He would likely be forced into some political marriage with someone he didn’t know or love. The idea made his stomach roll. He didn’t want to marry someone else, and even if Levi was still in his life, Eren didn’t want to only be able to see his lover behind closed doors and in the shadows of the night.

Hands trembling, his heart was filled with pain as he took one last glance at the man who had changed to mean so much to him in such a short period of time. Grabbing his things, it took all his willpower not to break down at the thought of leaving Levi behind.

Wind rushed through his hair as he galloped away under the silver of the moon. By now he knew how to get _home_. Oh, how that word had changed. Rose didn’t feel like home anymore. He had left it and his heart behind in that small cabin with a certain grumpy dark-haired male.

He knew he had rid himself of his thoughts if he did eventually take over for his father, but Eren only hoped he would be able to one day reunite with Levi. And that the man would forgive him. As the distance between them grew, he let his tears fall freely. No matter how the seasons changed or the direction of wind shifted, Eren doubted he would be able to forget the person he had left behind.

 

* * *

 

Levi knew the brat was gone the moment he woke and saw the note on his table. And likely on a one-way ticket to his death. That suicidal bastard.

He had already suspected Eren was going to make a move soon, given how antsy he was yesterday after hearing the news. Knowing how hard-headed the brat was, it would have been near impossible to stop him without physical force. Eren was much too stubborn to be persuaded, and chaining him down or forcing the brat to stay against his will wasn’t something Levi wanted to do. It might have been the smartest decision, but he didn’t want Eren to hate him. What he hadn’t expected however, was for the brat to put a sleeping draught in his evening tea. He had at least hoped Eren would tell him face to face, or perhaps ask him to come along.

Still, it wasn’t like stopping him from leaving last night would have made any difference. Levi knew first-hand how easy it was for anger and sorrow drove one to do many things they would otherwise never consider. He was a living example of that.

Flipping open the letter, he scowled at the contents:

_Dear Levi,_

_Thank you for saving me back there and for allowing me to live with you. I know you weren’t expecting me, but I really had fun these last few weeks with you._

_But I need to go and settle this before anyone else gets hurt._

_If I don’t see you again… I just wanted to let you know that I ~~like~~ love you._

_~Eren_

There were watermarks on the page and the writing had gotten progressively harder to read, as though the boy had cried when penning the note. Levi felt a small warmth trickle down his face, and he wiped it away, stunned that a tear had come out, before wiping it away angrily.

That stupid brat was going to get himself killed, after all that he had tried to do and protect him. If Eren had waited just an extra day or so, Levi would have gladly gone with him. The boy was also in grave danger if the note that Hange had passed him was true. With the king gone and queen with child, Eren was the only obstacle standing between her and the crown. At least there was still a bit of time. Given all the pomp and circumstance that would be paid to the state funeral, it would take a few days before his stepmother made her move.

The funeral also gave him the perfect opportunity to deal with a certain piece of shit that Erwin had been urging him to deal with. In other words, Kenny, that rotting bastard, would most likely be there, given the close proximity and relation between Trost and Rose. There were rumours of an alliance being struck between the queen of Rose and his uncle, so a state funeral would provide a good opportunity for them to hash out the details of said alliance.

Kenny had always been a sadistic ruler, but lately, he had become more and more of a tyrant, ruling his subjects with an iron fist. Taxes had skyrocketed and the gap between the rich and poor only grew. Unfortunately, it wasn’t like they could do anything about it. Kenny was more or less trapped in his fortress, surrounded by the army, making it very difficult to enact a coup d’état. Although he wanted the man dead, Levi hadn’t wanted to deal with the ramifications of what would happen after Kenny’s death.

That line of thinking was changing lately though. About a week ago, Erwin had come across plans to burn down the slums in the outskirts of the city and to once again legalize slavery. Initially Levi hadn’t wanted to do anything about it, but now that his shitty uncle might be in cahoots with Eren’s stepmother, with the possibility that the brat might become a bargaining chip in the rumoured unholy alliance, he was becoming more inclined to agree with Hange’s mad ideas of lopping the bastard’s head off.

Folding the note and placing it in his pocket, he penned another note and tied it onto the leg of the messenger pigeon. Thankfully, Hange was already on their way to Rose, and Erwin could easily make the journey within a day. Although it was a last minute decision, he couldn’t sit around and do nothing. Erwin, that bastard, probably predicted something like this would happen. Least someone would be happy that he finally decided to do something about the status quo.

Grabbing his blades and travel pack, Levi only hoped the brat wouldn’t do anything stupid and expose himself to danger so soon.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren enters the city and watches his father's funeral. Levi confronts his uncle and a little more of his past is revealed. How will things turn out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kenny returns! But this is his only appearance in this work... oh well. He's fun and super easy to paint as a villain, but there's only so much of Kenny I can write, before it bores me.
> 
> I know I left you guys on a cliffhanger, but there's only 1 chapter left before the epilogue. Plus that's 3 chapters in a day, so be grateful. Although the latter 2 were more or less completed already.
> 
> Again, kudos, comments, and suggestions are always welcome.

Eren easily reached the outer city within by midmorning the next day. The funeral was not slated until the day after, so he found a small, cozy inn and paid for a single room. Hopefully no one recognized him, dressed in plain clothes, wind-swept hair, and dusty skin. Anonymity would serve him well until he figured out what to do.

The journey back home had been a very emotional one for Eren. Riding his dear mount, which he hadn’t been on, since that hunting trip with Reiner and Bertolt, he had the fervent desire to turn back and return to their cabin. The further he rode away, the more salient the loss of Levi’s presence became. He knew the older male would be worried about his disappearance, but there was no other way.

Eren knew that he needed to go back to the capital and settle things. His father was the last living member of his family, and it was only right to honour his unfortunate passing. Then there was his stepmother to contend with. Annie likely knew he was coming and would likely have control over the city guards and army, meaning that he might have to sneak in if he weren’t to be detained and brought to her. Eren knew he would have to deal with her sooner or later, preferably after paying his respects.

A part of him wanted to reclaim his birthright, but without his father to guide him, and not knowing who to trust, he was fearful that his stepmother would repeat what had happened before. Or even worse, not recognize him, given that he had gone missing for the better part of three months. After living with Levi for so long and participating in manual labour, he had lost most of his remaining baby fat, and his body had become leaner and stronger. Eren was as tanned as before, but he suspected that his hair was a disaster and many in court might not even recognize him anymore.

So, taking a piece of advice from the man he had just left, Eren decided to find out as much about the current situation as possible.

 

* * *

 

“You can come out now Levi.”

Raising a brow at having been found out, he deftly scaled down the rafters. Standing a few feet away, no one would mistake the distinctive familial features between the two of them. The same silky dark hair and silvery grey eyes. But whereas Levi’s eyes were flat, passive, masking all emotions, Kenny’s were much darker, colder, and a few strands of white streaked through his hair.

“So you heard that didn’t you?”

Levi remained silent. There was no need to answer any pointless questions. They both knew it wasn’t why he was here. The moment he saw his uncle, all his hatred of the man came flaring back to life.

“Why did you have them killed?” He couldn’t help the pain that leaked out his voice.

His nights were frequently haunted with memories of seeing the lifeless corpses of his friends bleeding out on him. Levi had been tricked away by the man while his friends were ruthlessly gutted. He didn’t even have the chance to save them, being forced to attend some gala at the other end of the city the night it happened. Even after all this time he had no idea why his uncle had killed them.

“Have who killed? Be more specific Levi.”

“Isabel and Farlan.” He hissed through his clenched jaw. It would be so easy to gut the man right here and now, but knowing Kenny as he did, the man was hiding something.

“Oh _them_." Kenny waved his hand, as if bored at the reminder. "They were a nuisance, a distraction.”

“So you killed them.” His voice was flat, hiding his fury at the other man’s nonchalant attitude towards their deaths.

“I didn’t kill them, dear nephew. My men did.” A thin hand reached out to pick at his elongated nails, appearing bored, but they both knew that his attention never wavered. “They took my most cherished possession – you – away from me after all.”

Levi didn’t know what bothered him more. The fact that his uncle treated him as though he was something to be owned, or that the man was arguing semantics over the fact he didn’t technically ‘kill’ his best friends. His stomach roiled at the thought. Something must have shown on his face, because Kenny smirked.

“You were my best masterpiece Levi, a killing machine disguised in human skin. Ruthless, cunning, and ever so obedient.”

His sword shook slightly as the grip on it tightened painfully. He hated the person he had grown up as in that castle. The strange, approving looks Kenny would give him after completing one of those ‘assignments.’ It had taken him forever to wash the blood off his hands and clothes, and the faces of those he had killed still haunted him. But it was how Levi had also met Isabel and Farlan and realized what he was doing was wrong.

“It’s a pity that they made you _feel_. But no matter, this new alliance with Rose’s queen will prove fruitful enough.”

“What alliance?” he growled. Erwin had mentioned it in passing, but he hadn’t paid it any heed.

“Her majesty wants to dispose of her husband’s child and I’m only too willing to accommodate her request.”

“The prince?” Levi choked out, knowing the response already from the excited twinkle in those beady eyes.

The only ‘child’ he knew of that fit that description was Eren, but letting Kenny know that he knew and cared for the boy was dangerous. Masking his anxiety and fear, Levi kept his expression carefully blank. It was revolting what the bastard loved doing to all the young girls and boys brought to the castle. Oftentimes, they were never seen again, and the ones he did were changed and hung almost perversely on his uncle’s every word. He was never completely clear on what the man did to them, nor did he want to, but Mikasa had been fathered on one of those young girls.

“The young prince of Rose. Such a beautiful specimen of a boy. Now if that’s all, I need to go and make some _arrangements_. I’ve heard he shares a fond enjoyment of a certain red fleshed fruit.”

The blood in his veins ran cold at the statement. Kenny’s ‘arrangements’ generally meant poisoning and kidnapping, so the victim could be taken without protest. Or in this case, straight-up murder. As his uncle had boldly hinted at Eren’s love of apples, he knew that something terrible was in the works.

Seeing the older man rise, Levi felt his limbs move before his mind even caught up to his actions, swiftly blocking his uncle’s exit. A grey eyebrow shot up, as if in disbelief that he would try something so reckless. Levi had the impulse to cut the blade deeper and follow through, but he could see the icy anger and bemusement in those eyes. His uncle’s other hand was already on his blade, and he knew that the tables could easily be turned against him. A thin line of blood welled on the blade, dripping to the floor where a pale finger pressed down and pushed the tip of the sword away.

“Levi, Levi, Levi…” The voice almost sounded sorrowful, as Kenny shook his head. The sounds of patrolling guards echoed in the chamber and his uncle’s expression changed into a feral grin. “We both know that _you_ can’t stop me.”

Levi’s body was filled with rage that not only had this man, no monster, cost him his best friends, but might also cost him Eren. Blood relations or self-preservation be damned. The bastard needed to be cut down before more blood was shed.

In his mind, however, he knew taking on his uncle one-on-one was foolhardy. He had tried once, when in a fit of rage at Isabel and Farlan’s death, he had almost gone on a rampage back in Trost, eager for blood, but Erwin and Hange had stopped him in a nick of time. It had taken Levi weeks to forgive them, but in retrospect, they had done the right thing. Kenny had known he was coming and in the slim chance he had succeeded, if he wasn’t fatally wounded or dead, he wouldn’t have been in the right mind to take over. Not that he wanted to.

Moreover, Kenny was the one that had trained him and knew most of his strengths and weaknesses. Although he had beaten his uncle in a few of their sparring matches, it had taken great effort and the man always had a trick or two up his sleeve. And as much as Levi loathed to admit it, for an older man, the bastard was also in in prime shape and could call the guards on him at any moment. He might be able to win if he put everything on the line, but the idea of a suicidal attack wasn’t his style, and the both knew it.

Taking a deep breath, Levi retracted the blade, making sure the bead of blood had fallen off before sheathing it. Pivoting, he walked out, hearing the familiar dark chuckle behind him. Tightening his fist, he had to refrain from going back in and running the man through. He would see to it, if it was the last thing he did.

But first, he had a certain green eyed, brown haired brat to deal with.

 

* * *

 

The first two days were rather uneventful for the prince. Most of his time was spent in the shadows, listening for news about the palace and the funeral. It was a fairly easy task given how vocal the locals were about the state of affairs. Many expressed sorrow at the king’s passing and had already despaired of his return, wondering instead about the gender of the queen’s unborn babe. A few, but much smaller minority, more sympathetic and hopeful for his return figured that if there was ever a time for him to take his place, it would be soon.

By the time the actual funeral rolled around, he along with thousands of others, lined up on the cobblestone streets as the casket rolled through, crying and paying their respects. Upon seeing hard evidence that his father was actually gone, he felt himself tear up. The mood was somber as white flowers were thrown to express their sorrow at their monarch’s passing. Eren himself, threw a bouquet with a red ribbon wrapped around. All in all, it was a very well-done procession. He was near enough to hear and see the speeches made from other heads of state and the queen herself, express their condolences and admire the king for his accomplishments and rule.

When it was finally over, the crowd slowly dispersed. Eren’s legs felt dead as he numbly milled around, uncertain of what to do. Although he had known for two days that his father had passed away, it was still a mild shock to see the actual casket carrying his father’s body inside. It made his initial formless desires to return and claim the throne seem rather empty.

At first, he had thought that his return would be heralded and a celebration, but after seeing the populace’s overwhelming support for his stepmother, Eren questioned whether there really was a good reason to take back his birthright. He didn’t really want it. Most of his good memories of living here were dull in comparison to the oddly routine, but refreshing freedom he had back in the forest. In that cabin, which was too luxurious for a normal cabin – being two stories high with a small attic – with Levi.

Speaking of Levi… Eren wondered where he was right now and whether he had ruined everything they had once. More than once, he had to suppress the urge to pack his things and rush back to apologize and beg for forgiveness from the man.

But he didn’t regret seeing his father off. It gave him a modicum of peace, feeling as though a chapter of his life – that of being the prince of Rose – was closed. No matter if he returned to reclaim the throne or back to that small cabin in the woods, being present at his father’s funeral gave him the closure he needed. If he so chose, Eren wouldn’t be a prince anymore. It would be so easy to hide away and never come back.

“Apples for sale! Red and juicy apples!” Seeing his favourite red-skinned fruit – he hadn’t had one in a long time – he immediately walked over to the old crone.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi spies Eren biting an apple and all hell breaks loose...
> 
> Kind of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some _really, really, REALLY_ out of character moments for the cannonical Levi, including public displays of affection, crying, and use of endearments. But it's nice after writing some darker pieces. And kind of fun too. The beast side of him will come back in the epilogue, which will cover some of the unanswered questions and what happens to them after everything...
> 
> In other words, this chapter is part fluff (after all the other feels from the previous 2 chapters), a confession of feelings for the main pairing (more fluff), and covering the rest of the important plot bits (which I personally find secondary to the fluff here). But only about half this chapter is about the fluff; there's too much plot to cover.
> 
> Kudos, comments, and suggestions are always welcome!

He was standing on the parapet, watching the crowd disperse, surprised that his uncle wasn’t at the procession, when it happened.

The crowd had just begun to thin out and from the corner of his eye, Levi saw a familiar brown-haired brat. A fond smile had just started to creep up his face, but it quickly faded into anxiety as the next scene made his blood run cold.

Eagerly grabbing a bright red apple from an old lady, he watched the brat walk away smiling, eyeing his purchase. Yelling, he grappled down the wall, jumping off and running towards his lover, desperate to stop Eren as he took a large bite from of its flesh. He was dimly aware that the crone had vanished, but all he could think about was getting to the brat. His short stature made it difficult to cut through the massive throng of people in the courtyard separating them, legs carrying him as fast as he could. His uncle’s maniacal laughter taunted Levi in the back of his mind as he ran, trying desperately to reach Eren.

Time slowed to a halt as he saw Eren chew and swallow. Levi could feel the blood pounding in his veins, the resounding silence in his ears as he saw Eren cough a few times, wheezing and clutching his chest. Then, slowly, he could almost hear the dull thud reverberating through his ears as the brunet collapsed on the ground.

Then, the world regained its natural pace and the clock sped back up as he rushed the remainder of the distance to the fallen brunet . Clutching that lean body nearer, Levi furiously whacked his lover’s chest. “No, no, no, you can’t do this to me, Eren!”

Tears were pouring down his face and a small crowd had gathered to see what the commotion was all about. The salty liquid made his vision blurry, masking the small twitch in Eren’s fingers and the small wheezing breath he took. Seeing no change, Levi remembered Hange’s joke about True Love’s kiss. He was grasping onto straws now. Trembling, he lowered his trembling lips onto those ones he had ravaged only days before, hoping.

When he raised his head and saw nothing, he didn’t know what to do.

Only then, he felt a small gentle touch on his hand as a slight coughing erupted below him. Something small and slimy hit his cheek and he brushed it aside without a thought, wiping his watery eyes furiously. His attention was only focused on the still-coughing body in his arms.

“Er-Eren? You’re okay? This isn’t a dream?”

“Yes, I’m okay. I choked and your knocking managed to dislodge it.” There were a few more coughs as his lover cleared his throat. “But Levi, what were you doing kissing me in front of all those people? And are you crying?”

“I-I thought that… uhh… maybe that… errr… Shit.” Realizing he was rambling incoherently, he felt a flush rise up his neck. Cradling the brunet close, Levi muttered under his breath. “Shitty glasses… I’ll murder them one day.”

“What did Hange do now?” Eren furrowed his brow in confusion. What did Levi’s friend have to do with all of this?

“Nothing.” Levi craned down and kissed Eren’s adorably furrowed brow. “Don’t leave me again…I love you, Eren.”

Butterflies filled his stomach at Levi’s confession. Smiling shyly, Eren quietly repeated the same three words. “I love you too, Levi.”

Eren had thought that he was the only one who had fallen so deeply. He had never expected Levi to hang onto him so tightly or kiss him in the middle of the street. The moment he saw those silver eyes looking at him with fear and then relief, he was sorry for all the anxiety he had put Levi through. Eren hadn’t realized until now how much he had missed Levi’s presence, his mind having been too focused on trying to figure out what he was going to do with his life. Despite being in front of hundreds of pairs of eyes, he wanted to cuddle tighter in those arms, wrapped up in the man’s scent.

But before either of them could rejoice in their reunion or continue their idle banter, a commanding voice cut in, gleaming blades pointed at Levi.

“Move aside. We’re here to arrest this man.”

Levi saw the frightened glance Eren shot him, and he tightened his hold around both the sword that had fallen to the ground as well as his lover. It would be hard to win in such a crowded street against so many trained men. And he didn’t want to shed blood unless it was necessary. Masking his thoughts, he donned a nonchalant expression.

“For what? Kissing my lover, your prince, on the street?”

There were a few giggles from the crowd before the guards shushed them, ignoring his comment about Eren being the prince. Eren simply blushed and hide his head in the crook of his shoulder.

“For high treason and the murder of his majesty, King Kenny Ackerman of Trost.”

What? His uncle was dead? His lack of presence at the funeral made sense now. But how had he died? As much as Levi hated the man for all the pain his uncle had dealt him, he hadn’t wished him dead. At least not like this, not before he could exact his vengeance and see the fear in those dark eyes as the man felt his life slipping away. His blood cried out for the murderer.

“Tch. I hope you know that you’re attempting to arrest the Crown Prince of Trost.” He narrowed his eyes dangerously, allowing the unfulfilled bloodlust and vengeance to leak through. It had been several months since he last used that voice. The imperial edge ran out clearly in his commanding tone, a skill he had perfected for use in court and situations like these.

A wave of disbelief spread throughout the crowd. Many were murmuring and pointing at him, commenting on his height (or lack thereof), and the fact he had just been frantically crying and liplocked with their prince. Even the captain’s sword wavered, though the blade remained pointed at him.

He felt Eren struggle in his arms, and he looked down to see surprise in those bright orbs. “Levi…? You’re a prince…?”

“Shhh… I’ll explain later, once we’re out of here.” He promised, lightly pecking at Eren’s surprised moue, causing his lover to blush.

“Silence!” The crowd immediately stopped their whispering. “I will not believe such foolishness. Where’s the proof that you’re who you claim to be?”

“Get my cousin, Princess Mikasa. She’ll vouch for me.”

There were some whispers among the guards, before a footman was sent scurrying off with a message. The captain rounded up on Levi again, a disbelieving sneer on his face.

“We’ll see about your _proof_ … but in the meantime, you two are coming with me.”

Eren cast a dismayed glance at him, but he ignored it thinking frantically. There were many others who had grudges against Kenny, but one thought in particular stood out to him. He had a sinking suspicion of what had happened, but he would wait until he was alone with Erwin and Hange to confirm it.

Being somewhat familiar with the political scene, Levi wasn’t terribly nervous as they followed the captain of the guard. Trost was ruled through a patriarchic lineage, and although his father was Kenny’s younger brother and the man already had a daughter, he was next in line to inherit. Trost also had a policy of self-sufficiency, such that the death of their rule wasn’t something that another nation – allied or not – should be sticking their hands into. Trost’s business was Trost’s, so unless Rose had something to do with the murder, it wasn’t their place to arrest anyone. Especially since he was the heir and didn’t kill that shitty bastard.

And although he loathed the idea, there was one definite way that would allow them to keep both their heads, and Eren by his side. Levi just hoped the brat wouldn’t pull the rug from under him.

 

* * *

 

“Do you think I’m stupid enough to try something like that when it leads straight back to me?”

“But you told Reiner and Bertolt to kill me! And what about father?” Eren yelled angrily, straining against Levi’s grasp to wring her neck.

“Pah, I told them to leave you in the woods. Not to kill you. It’d do you some good to toughen up in the woods. And your father’s passing was not my doing. He had been fading from consumption for the last few months now. You can have someone else look him over if you don’t trust the court physician.”

“She’s telling the truth Eren. Hange’s already taken a look at the reports and body, and by all accounts, he had already been ill for the better half of last year.”

A placating arm gently wrapped around his shoulders, and he turned around to cry in Levi’s shoulders, soaking the dark garment. Eren didn’t know what to say after what his stepmother told him. Upon seeing her after all this time, he had originally wanted to her blood for everything she had put him through and because he thought she had also asked for his father to be killed. He had never known his father had consumption, but if it was true, then he was blind to everything that had been going on.

“So, Eren. What are your plans?”

He glanced up from that reassuring embrace and stared back at his stepmother. Wiping his eyes, he looked around him at the walls of the great hall. Despite the rich furnishings and jeweled paintings, it looked desolate and cold in comparison to the small cabin in the woods. His reasons for being here also seemed nonexistent as he held onto the firm presence next to him.

It was abundantly clear to Eren that many in court who recognized him were surprised and a bit dismayed at his reappearance. Judging from their reactions, they had thought him dead and had thrown their support behind the queen during his absence. Ruling would be difficult in such an environment. Annie would be likeliest choice to serve as Regent if he were to return and take the crown, and Eren didn’t want that at all. He didn’t trust her not to do anything and it was clear that he wasn’t welcome here.

But that wasn’t the worst part of it. After Levi’s identity had been proven by his cousin and cleared of all charges, Eren knew it would be impossible to be together as long as he was part of Rose’s royalty. Both surviving members of Trost’s royal family were adamant that Rose not take part of their internal politics, and Annie reluctantly stopped the line of inquiry; fearful of reprisal and the possibility of war with Trost.

Levi’s identity as a prince, now soon-to-be king of Trost had stunned him. But it made sense, given how little Levi had cared for his identity and how easily the latter was able to sympathize with his situation. Although he wanted to honour his father’s wishes as the firstborn and only son, leaving the first time had been hard enough. Now that his father was laid to rest, the man standing next to him meant more to him than his late father’s wishes. His heart had cried out at the tears in those grey eyes as Levi held onto him, and Eren didn’t want hurt the man even more.

“Levi, I…” Eren didn’t know what to say. He looked at those questioning silver eyes, the tight hold of those arms reminding me of what had just happened outside. He flushed slightly at the memory of Levi’s confession and the public display of affection they were engaged in.

“I know, love.”

Warmth flooded his belly at the endearment. If he wasn’t already blushing, he would be now. He could feel dozens of pairs of eyes staring at them, even hear some whispers, but all Eren could think about was Levi. Some part of him enjoyed the affection being directed towards him, while another part of him found it strange. This man was a completely different person from the Levi he was used. His lover was supposed to be a grump, a loveable one, who was surly, rude, and didn’t give a shit about anything, hiding all emotions and expressed irritation at softer human feelings. He wasn’t this handsome dark-haired stranger whose words or smiles made Eren’s insides turn to goo.

 “Trust me.” There was a firm, squeeze on his hand. The faint upturn on those lips gave him pause. Since when did Levi smile? He cast another bewildered look at Trost’s prince, who simple ignored his confusion.

Before he could say another word, Levi replied for him.

“You can have the throne. He’s coming back to Trost with me.”


	10. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I finally finished the first of the fairytales I actually worked on, even if it's the 3rd in the series on here. Surprised how long it ended up; almost 20k words.
> 
> Kenny & Annie were going to play larger roles in this, but I wasn't too sure how to work in them without going through issue of the succession of 2 kingdoms, and so on and so forth, so I made it simpler. Similarly, there was supposed to be a makeout scene between them before the funeral with Levi trying to get Eren out of harms way, but that was too hard to work based on how I wrote Eren running off.
> 
> Hopefully, you've enjoyed this as much I did. Kudos, comments, suggestions are welcome. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Eren still couldn’t believe it was over. His stepmother had stopped bothering him after the deal they struck, but he would never really trust her after all that. And somehow after all of it, he was still a prince. Well, technically he was now the king’s consort, but never in his wildest imagination would he have guessed that Levi was royalty.

Once Levi had announced that he would be going back to Trost with him, it had taken very little persuasion for Eren to agree. The several hours he spent in Rose waiting for his father’s funeral had left a pit in his stomach, and he loathed the idea of staying at court with his stepmother. Annie never admitted it, but they both knew he was hindrance for her, and his having a male lover would never be accepted back there. Now that he had renounced his claim to Rose’s throne and was married to Levi, Eren couldn’t be happier with how things turned out. The wedding was not the largest affair given the circumstances preceding it and Levi’s distaste for large crowds, but Eren still sometimes woke up thinking it was a dream.

He almost expected Levi to change after returning to Trost, but Eren hadn’t really noticed much of a change. If anything, the man was more affectionate than before, sneaking kisses in darkened corridors and small groping feels here and there. It had surprised him for the first month or so, but now it was just common to see the small private smile directed towards him. But there were some things that never changed. Levi was still a clean freak, and more than once he had actually _shown_ the servants what to do when their cleaning was inadequate. And his husband had prohibited anyone from entering their private chambers, since they were more likely to trek more filth in than to clean it up. Nope, no change at all.

Peeking a glance from the couch to stare at his lover, who was currently glaring at the massive amount of paperwork on his desk, Eren wondered what would happen to the line of succession since it was impossible for them to have children. It had been on his mind recently after overhearing some court gossip from some ladies wanting to get in his husband’s bed to beget an heir, as well as to see what he was like in bed. Levi had told him to stop worrying about it when they said their vows, but he just couldn’t let it go.

“Umm… Levi? What are you going to do about an heir?”

“C’mere, brat.” He got off his seat and walked over, wrapping his arms around Levi from behind. “Do you honestly think I like ruling, Eren? I’d much rather live in the forest again.”

The brunet hummed a sound of approval. It would be nice to live back in their cabin where there would be no prying eyes judging them. Plus, it’d mean more time together. His husband really hated and regularly showed his displeasure towards the daily formalities and rules of court. Eren personally thought he actually saw less of the man these days than back when they were in the woods.

“Besides, I’ve been thinking of abdicating the throne for Mikasa.”

“Wh-what?”

“I’ve already talked it over with Hange, Erwin, and my cousin, and they agree. I’m only here because of how things ended up. I never knew that four-eyes poisoned my blade. I’ve never wanted to take over, but this was the best way to protect you. And since we’ve come back to Trost, it’s been paperwork and more shitty paperwork.”

“It’s okay, Levi.” His chin rubbed the top of Levi’s undercut, trying to placate his husband’s frustration. “At least we’re married.”

Levi grabbed his arm, and he fell sideways onto his lover’s lap with a small yelp.

“It’s not ‘okay’ Eren. Think of all the time we could have spent _together_.” There was a smirk as he finished the sentence, his hands already intent on unbuttoning Eren’s shirt.

 

“Y-yes! Ahhh… Levi… R-right there…” Eren couldn’t help the loud moan that erupted as Levi’s cock rammed against his sweet spot over and over again.

Just then, there was a rough pounding on the door, followed by a familiar, high-pitched cry. “LEVI! Are you there?”

“Fuck off shitty glasses. I’ll have you locked up for listening to us!”

There was silence on the other end of the door, and the sounds of labored breathing echoed in the chambers. Eren flushed at the thought that someone else could and _had_ heard him.

He still couldn’t believe that Levi was actually taking him in his office. It was surprising given how often they sought each other out, that this was their first time doing it here. Though, it figured that it would have happened sooner or later as Levi had even hidden a vial of lube in his drawer. Eren couldn’t help the breathy mewls of pleasure that escaped when his husband began moving again, the next thrust rubbing against his prostate.

"Ahhh… hahhh…”

“You like being heard, don’t you Eren?” There was a light teasing tone as his husband pinched his nipples, grinding his cock deeper inside.

“Levi, don’t be mean…”

He was already so close to climaxing, but the other male wouldn’t let him cum yet. Levi withdrew and thrust back in ever so slowly, Eren thought he was going to go mad. He tried wriggling his hips, but it was difficult to get any traction when such a strong grip was preventing him from moving.

“Nnghh… hurry up, faster…Levi.”

“Admit it. You like it when I’m like this, brat.”

“Y-yes, fine. Please, Levi…”

Eren saw the smirk on his husband’s face, before Levi thrust back in hard and he screamed as they lost themselves in the pleasure of each other’s bodies again.

 

Chuckling as they walked down the hallway, Hange hummed a small tune of satisfaction in terms of how things turned out. They still couldn’t believe that Levi had actually _tried_ True Love’s kiss, and they were going to hang it over his head for eons. They would admit that the series of coincidences that had brought them together was miraculous, however. Thankfully, though, nothing had happened to Eren, otherwise who knew what the dark-haired grump might have done.

Running into Mikasa, who had latched onto and readily befriended Eren, they grabbed her wrist and steered her away from the disgustingly cute couple currently loudly copulating in Levi’s office.

“What Hange?”

“Oh nothing, just that you wouldn’t want to interrupt them right now.”

There was a bewildered look on her face as she tried to puzzle out what they meant. Of course, having been sheltered in the last fifteen years, she didn’t have a clue what they meant. Patting her hand soothingly, Hange led the soon-to-be queen in the opposite direction.

“Don’t worry about it. Your cousin and his hubby are just enjoying their happily ever after.”


End file.
